Health, Fitness, and Pregnancy

For those of you that know me, health and fitness was a big part of my life prior to getting pregnant. I always imagined myself to be one of those pregnant women that ran 5Ks, looked toned, and only showed in the belly. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Because of our summer travels, Sam and I completely fell away from our fitness routines. We traded gym sessions for shopping, hiking for lazy tourists tours, and healthy home cooked meals for unhealthy fried goodness. This summer was the unhealthiest I’ve been in many years. And of course, this is the summer I get pregnant.

After consulting with my doctor, he advised me that picking up running again is not good for the baby. He did, however, recommend plenty of exercise. But running, or anything that will get my heart rate above 140, could be harmful to the baby. Sigh* So, I signed up for a semester long gym membership at the University of Maryland. But if I were honest, the thought of driving to UMD after a long day of work, parking 200 feet away from the entrance, fighting crowds of undergrads, and spending time on the elliptical is just not appealing to me on most days.  I don’t even bother with the machines or weights because the wait is usually 10 minutes per machine. I even made up a fitness plan that involves yoga on weekends and cardio/weights the other 4 days of the week. I can’t say that I’ve been diligent in sticking to the plan. But hey! It’s the effort that counts, right?

Anyone have any motivation for me?

The good thing is what I lack in terms of exercise; I try to make up in terms of healthy eating. Here are some things I do to help myself make good choices.

1.   Every week, I try to only allow myself 2 cheat meals where I can order out, take out, or dine out. Making your meals at home really makes you think about what you are eating. It also helps with saving money ;)
2. When I crave something unhealthy (like chips or ice cream), I buy a small 1 serving size bag/container of it. That way I satisfy my craving without having a lot of junk food left over.
3.  I never eat fried food. Only occasionally on a cheat meal. But even then, it usually makes me feel sick.
4. I stay away from all things fast food.
5. I try to make green smoothies everyday to up my intake of vegetables and fruit. (My go-to recipe is: kale/spinach, carrots, celery, orange juice, peeled and cored apple, banana, and ice). It’s delicious!
6. I buy vegetables and fruit in bulk. I wash, cut them, and package them for the week so it makes grabbing them as a snack easy.
7.  I only buy and eat brown rice and whole grain pasta.
8. I try to stay away from preservatives, desserts, and a lot of sodium. Instead, I constantly try to up my intake of fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains.
9.  Read “Food Rules” by Michael Pollan for a simple explanation of food and decisions we should be making when it comes to eating. 

Weeks: 16

Baby Size: Avocado

Maternity clothes: There is a definite bump now. I just usually wear shirts that are not form fitting around the stomach. The pants still fit, just getting pretty snug.

Sleep: I’m not as tired as I used to be, which is nice. And I’m still sleeping pretty comfortably.

Best moment this week: Having no school Friday and being able to go wedding dress shopping with Betty.

Miss anything?: An ice cold beer

Movement: Nope

Food cravings: Pizza (but that’s nothing new... I craved pizza weekly before I was pregnant)

Mood: Reflective & thankful

Looking forward to: Celebrating Sam’s birthday next week (even though he is in the middle of finals that week)

Anything else?: Is it too early to start thinking about day care? Why is it so expensive? Seriously? A yearlong waiting list !?